Van Jones is correct when he states that the “climate Issue’ is what will define President Obama’s legacy. But there is one really big monkey wrench in the machine here. Because of our increasing knowledge of climate science and the fact of our refusal to address the issue in a timely manner, there won’t be anyone around to muse on his presidency in 20 years if he/we don’t address, and I mean seriously address, climate change. The science says that if we fail we are looking at a Permian-Triassic level event.

http://arctic-news.blogspot.co.uk/p/global-extinction-within-one-human.html

Due to the , what I like to call, methane bomb…it’s no longer simply an issue of pipelines, carbon taxes, electric cars (sorry Bob) or any of those issues. Though they still must be done. The stakes have been exponentially raised and in the poker game of life and death Mother Earth has gone “all in” and is waiting to see if we will call her bet.

Harold Hensel, avers that there is a technology that will allow us to destroy methane in the atmosphere using a specific radio frequency. http://thegazette.com/2012/04/15/the-time-to-attack-methane-is-now/ if we fail to address this all important issue it’s “game, set and match” for humanity. Then we will still need to abandon fossil fuels immediately (yea I know that that hasn’t worked so well to date) The politicians seem to think that jobs and growth are more important that addressing climate change but if we truly attack this (they seem to like war so much) in a Manhattan Project manner there would be jobs aplenty and all the economic growth that they will ever want. Wringing their hands about the “debt” bullshit and consequently doing nothing will get us a nice shiny coffin to spend eternity in.

If PBO does little from here on out to combat climate change then his reputation will likely suffer. Along with the rest of the world’s leaders.

I suspect drilling in the Arctic won’t be part of his legacy. North Dakota oil is taking a lot of pressure off Arctic drilling. And I expect we’ll be moving to electric cars before any serious Arctic drilling gets underway. Drilling in ND is so much easier and shipping already in place. That’s where we’ll likely concentrate.

The Keystone XL pipeline,if built, will be forgotten along with all the other millions of miles of pipelines in the world. We’ll scrap out the metal and clean up the messes.

I suspect PBO will lead with some sort of carbon pricing before the end of his term, but that will depend on the American people evolving adequately to accept and even start demanding a price.

The President is not a dictator. He can’t tell Congress what to do. Only citizens can do that and until we insist that Congress pass legislation there will be nothing for PBO to sign.

Steven, Van and the others need to be putting pressure where it is needed. On Congress. Get a good climate bill to PBO’s desk and he’ll sign it. And then he’ll get his administration working hard to put the changes into action. Look what he’s done with the EPA and shutting down dirty coal plants. You’ve got to give him the tools.

These guys continue to think that you can help their team by throwing stuff at their own quarterback.

PBO’s legacy? Universal health care. Presidents get remembered for what they accomplish much more than what they fail to accomplish. Even if PBO has the opportunity to make larger inroads against climate change that won’t show up on his list of accomplishments.